Embellished Cigar Box Purse

Materials:

8" x 8-1/2" cigar box
1-3/4 yard Wrights jute trim braid # 183 6122 029a
1-3/4 yard Wrights jute trim cord # 183 6298 029a
1/3 yard Wrights flat lace # 183 2440 095
1/4 yard Wrights suede cording # 174 6310 092
1 yard Wrights flat band strapping # 183 6437 073
1 yard Wrights flat pleather trim # 183 6440 073
1 yard Wrights brown fringe # 183 8017 092
Wrights applique lion # 193 9771 001
Wrights applique flower #196 7325 003
Wrights applique butterflies # 196 7223 003
Wrights upholstery tacks # 145 9102 046
2 styles decorative paper
craft tag
fossilized leaves
paint to match paper
glue for paper and fabric
laminate for finishing

1. Paint box, inside and outside (figure A).

2. Sand roughly so it will accept glue.

3. Place papers and various trims on front (figure B).

4. Line them up and glue rows across with paper, starting with ends of trim lapping onto side of cover (figure C).

5. Cover tag with one paper; add a patch of another paper inside. Glue.

6. Cut suede cord and thread through hole in tag (figure D).

7. Glue leaf and flower applique over tag. Glue onto box cover. Add second leaf and glue lion applique over it (figure E).

8. Turn box over and cut two pieces of paper--one square with a smaller patch of other paper.

9. Arrange on back of box, add two butterfly appliques, and glue in place (figure F).

10. Glue flat braid around side of box cover, covering the raw ends of the trims. Start at bottom at hinges and glue all around top, avoiding the clasp (figure G).

11. Trim away the fringe from the header of the brown trim so it remains on the top only (figure H).

12. For strap/handle, glue pleather trim onto center of strapping trim. Spot glue handle to sides of box, starting at the hinges on the bottom and up the sides, leaving the middle at the top free (figure I) (on the other side from where the jute trim is).

13. Using a hammer, bang two upholstery tacks into each side, through the strap, 1 inch from the bottom and 1 inch from the top (figure J).

14. Line the inside of the box with paper on the flat part. Glue.

15. On the sides of the bottom, glue the jute braid, covering the points from the tacks. On the top, line the sides with the jute cording.

16. Paint a clear laminate finish over the entire purse (except for the handle) to further glue it down and help keep it clean.

17. Our box from the craft store had a closure on the top, however if you are using a real cigar box, you will need to add a closure. To add a knot closure: Cut a 9-inch piece of the jute cord and tie it in a knot (figure K).

18. Stretch out the ends and place flat on the top back of the purse. Tack in an upholstery tack at each end (figure L). Cut the excess away and fray what's left.

19. Cut a 17-inch piece from the jute cording and fold it in half, around the knot (figure M).

20. Coil up one of the remaining ends in a circle, over the front of the purse, and place a tack into the center of the coil (figure N). Repeat for the other end on the other side. Place a tack at the point where the two pieces of cord come together before the coils.